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Thursday, February 23, 2012

tres leches cake

I am still thinking about our trip last month to Mexico. Apparently Q is too, since every couple days, he asks to go back. One of our earlier nights there, I tried the most amazing cakes - tres leches cake. It was so moist and delicious. My friend S encouraged me to get the recipe. On our last nights, Chef Fernando and Chef Ivan, with the aid of a translator, shared the recipe.

This is a picture of us with the chefs. They were super helpful and happily obliged with this foodie's request.

I wish that I had come home and made this cake right away. Instead I waited, and in the waiting, some of the translation was lost. The measurements were also for 100 pieces so I didn't think it was a good idea to even attempt it.

It was definitely a cake that I wanted to make though, for my mother-in-laws birthday. There were so many variations on google but I finally settled on one that I had seen on the Food Network show, Mexican Made Easy by Marcela Valladolid.

After I pulled it out of the oven, it fell in the middle but I covered it up with whipping cream. No one was the wiser. This cake was quite different from the firm cake we had in Mexico but the taste was delicious. The sweetness of the milk that was absorbed into the cake and then oozed out when it was cut into was amazing. This cake was light and rich all at the same time. The best part - my father-in-law requested the same for his birthday next month!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray and flour a 10-inch cake pan with 2-inch high sides and then line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper.

Mix the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until frothy. With the mixer running, gradually add the sugar and beat to stiff peaks. Beat in the yolks, 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the whole milk in 2 additions.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool the cake slightly, about 10 minutes, then invert onto a platter with 1-inch high sides.

Pierce the top of the cake all over with a thick skewer. Mix the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and 1 cup heavy cream in a medium bowl. Pour the mixture over the cake while warm. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours or overnight.

Combine the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream onto top of the cake and sprinkle with the ground cinnamon and cocoa.